(1868 - 1897)
Submitted by Kay Boyd
Athol Estes was the step-daughter of Peter Roach, owner of a grocery, bakery and restaurant located on East 6th Street. Her mother was Martha Estes Roach. The Roaches lived on East 4th Street. Athol was born in April of 1868 in Tennessee. By 1880 the Roaches were living Austin.
Athol was a musician and artist. Around 1885, she met William Sydney Porter (O. Henry). Porter was a draftsman who drew maps at the Texas General Land Office. They shared a love of music and often performed together including a production of H.M.S. Pinafore held on a steamship floating on the Colorado River. In July 1887, they eloped against her mother’s wishes and the couple was married at the home of Reverend R. K. Smoot, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church.
The Porters lived across the street from her parents. The Porter home was moved from its original location at 308 East 4th Street to its present-day location at 409 East 5th Street. The home was built in 1886 and Porter lived there with his wife and daughter between 1893 & 1895.
In 1888, Athol and Will had a son who died after a few hours. Their only child, a daughter, Margaret Worth Porter was born in 1889.
Athol, O’Henry, & Margaret (child)
While the couple was active in the arts and theatre groups in Austin, Athol encouraged her husband to pursue his writing career. In 1891 Porter was working as a teller at First National Bank of Austin. He was accused of embezzlement and they left Austin for Houston after he was fired. He was later indicted, they left for New Orleans and later traveled to Honduras. Athol and her daughter returned to Austin to live with her parents. Will soon returned to Austin when he learned Athol’s tuberculosis worsened. she died of consumption on July 25, 1897. Athol was buried in Oakwood Cemetery where her son was buried a few years previously.
(Will and little Margaret moved to Pennsylvania after Athol’s death.)
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